We Never Expected This
by Summer Rising
Summary: Exactly what happened in the aftermath of Lisanna's death? I know it's been done but here's my spin.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: As mentioned in the summary, I know this has been done, but this version of events was flitting around my head so I wanted to give my spin on it. Hope you enjoy.

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"I won't go," Natsu said simply, refusing to hear what Fairy Tail's master Makarov was telling him. "There's no fucking way you'll make me." The young teen crossed his arms stubbornly and glared.

Makarov sighed deeply. He knew the dragon slayer would react this way. Normally he would beat the young mage over the head for being so disrespectful, but given the circumstances he let the attitude slide.

"Listen, my little brat," he said, not unkindly. "This is an unpleasant and upsetting part of life. But you can't just sit back and decide not to participate."

The boy's eyes flashed dangerously. "Unpleasant?" he growled. "Upsetting? That's what you call it?" His voice cracked, full of emotion. "She's gone from us forever and you just call it unpleasant?!" He slammed a flaming fist down on the table between them, breaking clean through.

Makarov stared back as calmly as possible. "You're not the only one suffering. Think of Mirajane and Elfman."

Natsu snorted. "You mean the bitch you wrote her death sentence and the monster who carried it ou-"

The boy was unable to finish his sentence as Makarov had brought a massive fist down on his head. "DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF THEM AS IF THEY WANTED THIS," he roared angrily, drawing the attention of several members who had previously attempted to politely ignore the conversation. "THIS IS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. DON'T PLACE BLAME ON YOUR NAKAMA."

The force of the blow had forced the boy to the ground, and he looked up at his superior with a heartbreaking mix of rage and anguish. "But Lisanna is gone," he whispered. "Lisanna is never coming home…" His voice trailed off and he stared at the floor. His shoulders were shaking and it was clear he was trying to hide his tears.

The other members of the guild were now opening watching the spectacle, sympathy in their eyes. No one said anything, but Makarov knew his brats enough to know what they were thinking. Erza held tight fists at her sides, as if she was willing herself to stay in place when she really wanted to go to the pink-haired boy's side. Gray held back a frantic Happy and stared at his rival with an uncharacteristic look of concern on his face. Loke rubbed his neck uncomfortably. Cana looked near tears herself and Macao and Wakaba were shaking their heads sadly. Other members who weren't as close to Natsu looked away, feigning politeness, but Makarov knew their ears were perked to hear every word.

He sighed again, regretting his outburst. The stress and grief of losing a Fairy Tail member, especially one so young in such horrifying circumstances, had taken a toll on his temper.

"Natsu," he said gently. "Everyone here shares your pain. How do you think these people will feel if you don't attend the funeral?" He gestured at the others in the bar. "We have to support each other at a time like this."

The boy sniffed and looked toward his friends with a tear stained face before turning back to the guild master. "But if I go," he said softly "it's saying goodbye. It's admitting she's gone."

His earnest words tugged at Makarov's heartstrings. He had come to see his guild as a rowdy group of brats that needed parental guidance to keep them in line. Having a calamity like death touch his poor children was almost more than the old man could handle. Seeing his normally cocky, carefree, hyperactive Salamander on his knees with such pain in his voice was something he hated to see.

"You silly brat," he said, holding back tears of his own. "Why do you think we have funerals for the ones we love?"

The boy looked up at him expectantly. Makarov knew the others in the bar were waiting for the answer as well.

"It's easier to say goodbye with others at our side." He said, patting the young man on the back.

This proved to move Erza more than she could handle, and she ran up to embrace both of them. "Beautiful words, master," she said tearfully. "We're all in this together!"

This broke the spell on the rest of the guild, who also rushed forward to embrace a surprised Natsu. His sullen attitude gave way to one of gratitude as he felt the love of his nakama engulf him.

"Okay, okay," he said, shoving everyone away. "I'll go to the funeral." He was opening crying as he said the words, but he pressed forward. "But I swear, this is the only funeral for any of you I'll ever attend." He pointed at each of them to prove his point. "I'm going to get so strong that if any of you are ever in trouble, I'll come to the rescue. You hear?"

Flames appeared around him, emphasizing the emotion in his voice. "And I expect the rest of you to do the same! Not for me – for Lisanna!"

"Of course!" they responded, throwing their fists in the air.

"A wonderful goal," Erza said approvingly.

"As if I'd ever need rescuing from you," Gray scoffed.

"Aye!" whimpered a still-bawling Happy.

Natsu nodded, feeling the knot in his stomach loosen a tiny bit. He couldn't bring Lisanna back, but he would do his best to make sure no one else ever left.

Makarov smiled.

Natsu turned abruptly at the old man. "Gramps," he said seriously. "Where are Mira and Elfman hiding?"

"Why?" he asked suspiciously. The fire mage hadn't inquired about the remaining siblings once since he'd received the news about Lisanna – up until now he had only bitterly cursed their names.

"I need to talk to them. I need to know that they're going to live for her."

Makarov hesitated. Mirajane was in such a state when they first returned it took four hours to get the story out of her, and Elfman…he hadn't spoken to anyone but his elder sister since their return. He knew they wanted to grieve privately, and at first he had allowed it, but after four days it might be good to intrude on their solitude. However, given the way Natsu felt about the youngest Strauss and the nature of her death, he wasn't sure the impulsive young man was the ideal person to send.

"I know it's not their fault," Natsu said, as if reading his thoughts. "I know it's not really…it's just…I expected…" he stopped, as if trying to articulate a particularly complicated thought. "I just never expected things to get so out of control. I never questioned Mira's ability to protect her…" He looked at his master with resolute eyes. "That's why I need to talk to them. Because we're nakama, and we all need to protect each other."

Makarov nodded approvingly. "They're at the chapel."

Natsu turned toward the door, but before he left he looked back and smiled. It wasn't his trademark, toothy grin, but it was a smile, and it was then that Makarov knew his brat would be okay.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oi! Mira!" Natsu shouted as he kicked open the heavy double doors of the chapel. "Elfman! I know you're in here!"

His shouting earned a glare from an old woman sitting in the pews, but he ignored her. He had his sights set on a pair of white-haired heads at the front of the room.

"Natsu?" the older girl looked up in shock. "How did you know we were here?"

"Never mind that," he said, running up the aisle to reach them. When he reached them, he winced. They looked horrible. Mira's shiny hair was greasy and unwashed, and her normally beaming face was tear-stained. Her eyes lacked their intimidating glint of confidence and she sat with her shoulders rounded in defeat.

If Mira looked bad, Elfman looked even worse. He had dark circles under his eyes, which were ringed red with held-back tears. He was covered with bruises and cuts that Natsu could only assume had gone untreated in the aftermath of the mission gone horribly wrong.

"Are you here to beat us up?" Elfman asked dully. He fully expected Natsu to come attack them eventually, and he lacked the energy to defend himself. He deserved it anyway. This was all his fault.

Natsu grabbed the larger boy by the shoulders. "I should, with the sorry state you're in," he said menacingly. He shook him. "What the hell are you thinking?"

"Natsu…please don't," Mira begged him, pulling on his arm. "I know you loved her, and think this is our fault, but she was our sister. We loved her too. So much…" Tears filled her eyes. "Please just let us be…"

Natsu turned his furious eyes on her. "No."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I said no," he repeated. "I won't just let you be." He let go of her brother and grabbed her wrist roughly.

"Natsu…" Mirajane was an S-class mage. She had the power to break the little dragon in half if she wanted. But she couldn't find the energy to do so.

"Get up and listen to me," he said, pulling on her wrist and forcing her to her feet. "You too," he snapped at Elfman as he grabbed his arm as well. He positioned the confused siblings so he was facing both of them.

He took a deep breath. "It's not your fault."

They both stared at his in a daze, unable to express any thought to break the silence. After a minute, he said it again.

"It's not your fault. You hear me?"

Hearing him utter the words not once but twice caused Mirajane to burst into a fresh bout of tears. Elfman began to sob as well.

"It's not your fault," he repeated a third time, refusing to let go of their arms as they succumbed to their emotions.

"Natsu," Mira choked. Hearing his declaration only caused the white-hot guilt to boil hotter in her stomach. "Why are you saying that? It is my fault."

"No!" Elfman shouted through sobs. "It's mine, it's all mine…"

"No, it's not," Natsu said. "It's nobody's fault." He paused, then let words rush out of his mouth before he lost his nerve. "I wanted it to be your fault, so I could blame someone. But then Gramps made me realize how stupid that was. It's not your fault. If…if Lisanna was here she'd be telling us how stupid it is to think like that, you know?"

Mirajane's lip quivered, and suddenly, she jumped into the younger boy's arms, crying into his shoulder. He tensed for a moment, not used to this side of the demon Mirajane, but then relaxed and wrapped his arms around her. "It's not your fault," he repeated weakly, feeling tears well up in his own eyes again.

Elfman stared at the two of them. Seeing Natsu comfort his remaining sister only filled him with an even more profound sense of guilt. Not only did he fail to protect Lisanna, he couldn't even help Mirajane now.

As if sensing his comrade's despair, Natsu looked over Mira's shoulder. His eyes pierced Elfman. "I told you, Lisanna would be telling us how stupid this is," he said. "Are you going to be a baby and get wrapped up in your self-pity, or are you going to be a man and deal with the situation?"

The words struck the takeover sibling like a punch to the gut. But he knew Natsu didn't mean them unkindly. In fact, the dragon slayer's even gaze caused him to straighten up to match it.

"Are you a baby, or are you a man?" Natsu repeated.

"I'm a man."

The End...for now


End file.
